The Best Day
by Awahili
Summary: This is the best day of my life.    A look at different times in Booth's life, spending time with his dad.  BB at the end I couldn't help it.  INSPIRED SERIES


Okay, here's the next in the Inspired Series. "The Best Day" by George Strait. Yes, I'll do some non-country songs at some point, but since that's what I listen to mostly, those are the ones that jump out at me. As always, read, review, and offer song suggestions if you got em. BTW, no birthday is listed for Booth, so I just used David's - May 16th.**

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August 1979 

"Come on Dad!" seven-year old Seeley Booth called out as he put the two Coleman lanterns into the back of the family station wagon. He couldn't ever remember being more excited – _except for when Mom said I could have a puppy, but that's different_.

"Calm down, Lee," John Booth laughed as he hauled the cooler out to the car. "The campsite's not going anywhere."

"I know! But this is gonna be so cool!" the boy cried back, darting back into the house for the sleeping bags. John chuckled to himself as he rechecked everything once more. _Tent – check, fishing poles – check, lanterns – check, cooler of soda – check, sleeping bags -_ Seeley bounded down the front steps with two oversized bundles, nearly toppling due to their size. _Check_.

"Make sure the front door's locked, son," John called out, watching his son drop the sleeping bags at the back of the car and bolt back up the steps, jiggle the handle twice, then dart back down and into the front passenger seat.

"Let's go!" Seeley was grinning ear to ear, feeling like the luckiest kid in the world. His older brother Jared was staying the weekend with a friend – something Seeley was not allowed to do yet – and he'd made his little brother miserable rubbing it in his face. But as soon as Jared had been dropped off, John had sprung the surprise; one whole weekend, just the two of them and the great outdoors.

As they drove to the campsite, Seeley thought he couldn't wait to tell Jared about all the fun he'd had camping with their dad. The thought that it was childish and rude crossed his mind (their mother was always telling them not to boast), but one thought of Jared's smug smirk had Seeley waiting with bated breath to brag about his weekend.

They turned off the main highway onto the dirt road leading to the campsite, and Seeley very nearly started bouncing in his seat. Whipping his head left and right, he took in all the trails leading through the woods, and if he squinted he could make out the shoreline of the lake they would fish at. Turning to his father, Seeley's face split into a grin.

"Dad, this is the best day of my life," he proclaimed. "Just me and you, Dad. I've always dreamed of a weekend like this. When can we go fishing? Can I help with the tent? This is so cool!" John laughed again at his youngest son and felt blessed that he was able to spend time with him. John could see the rivalry between the boys, and though he and his wife did not love one more than the other, he knew it often seemed to Seeley that Jared was favored. He had spent most of the summer helping Jared train for junior high football tryouts coming up in September, so Seeley had often been unintentionally pushed to the background.

But he was going to make up for that now and if the smile on his son's face was any indication, he was off to a great start. He pulled the old station wagon up to the campsite and was barely stopped before Seeley yanked his seatbelt off and dashed out the door. Shaking his head, he parked and stepped out, ready to make his little boy's dreams come true.

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**May 1987**

"Seeley, come help with the groceries," Helen Booth called out. Sighing, he put down his biology homework (he'd never get it anyway) and slunk down the stairs to help his mother. Seeing his dour attitude, she pursed her lips and patted him lightly on the shoulder.

"Now, now," she admonished, "none of that. It's your fifteenth birthday tomorrow, after all." He perked up a little at that and gave his mother a smile. "That's better. I love that smile, Lee," she gave one of her own. Seeley shook his head and went about pulling fruits, cans, and bread from various bags before storing them in their place. He had just started humming a rock tune he'd heard on the radio when his mother started talking again.

"Your brother called," she said cheerfully, "He's been accepted into an exchange program for the summer."

"No Jared this summer?" Seeley asked happily, earning him a stern glare.

"Seeley Booth," she warned, and he ducked his head and went back to unpacking the groceries. "He'll be back the last two weeks of August before he goes back to school. We'll be having a big party for him to congratulate him and send him back off."

"Of course you are," Seeley mumbled, knowing they were doing nothing special for his birthday but Jared returning from college merited a ticker tape parade.

"What was that?"

"I said I've got studying to do," he covered. "That Biology final won't take itself."

"Off with you then," she said, swatting him with a dish towel lovingly. He tromped back up the stairs and flung himself down on the bed. He tried for another ten minutes to get back into his homework, but the questions were just hurting his head. Instead, he pulled a magazine from under his pillow and began rifling through it.

_Beautiful_, he thought. He ran his hands over the pages, admiring the images on them. He closed his eyes and imagined having one of his own, one he could touch anytime he wanted, one meant for him.

He looked around his room at the various posters, mostly of classic cars. A few band posters adorned the walls near his door, but most of the room was covered in some car or another. He stood and walked over to his favorite, the one that held the place of honor above his desk. Turning back to his _Street Machine_ he sifted through the pages until he came up the article he'd read a hundred times. The '62 Corvette screamed at him from the folds of the magazine, and Seeley couldn't remember a night he didn't go to bed dreaming about that car. Sighing, he put the magazine back under his pillow and answered his mother's call for dinner.

He stormed into the house the next day, angry at himself and the world. Who in their right mind would ever need to know the names of all the lobes of the human skull? _Nobody even cared that it's my birthday today_. He pulled a soda from the fridge and downed it in one go, letting the acidity of the drink sting his throat. He shook his head clear, intent on going upstairs and blasting _Foreigner_ until his mother yelled at him again.

As he hit the bottom stair, a sound caught his attention. _No way_, he thought as he changed directions and walked through the kitchen and living room to the front door. He stepped out onto the porch, his feet moving swiftly. Their driveway wrapped around the house to a free-standing garage in the back, and the gravel crunched under his feet as he walked around the house toward the sound. As he rounded the corner he froze in his tracks, taking in the sight.

It was old and scratched to hell, missing one hubcap, the rear left quarter panel was dented, and Seeley could hear the problem with the engine from where he stood. But when his dad shut the car off and tossed him the keys, Seeley thought he'd never seen a more beautiful machine in his life. He took a few tentative steps up to the old car, reaching out a hand slowly. He ran it across the trunk, taking in its sleek curves and ground-hugging frame.

"Dad?" was the only word he could manage, and John clapped his son on the shoulder.

"Happy Birthday, Seeley," he said. "What do you say you and I do a little project this summer?" he joked. Seeley was speechless, but he launched himself at his father and wrapped the man in a bear hug. "You like it then?" he laughed, and Seeley stepped back grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"This is the best gift I've ever gotten," he admitted. "Can we start now?" his eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas, and John shook his head.

"I actually have to get back to work, but I knew you'd want some time with her this afternoon. You figure out exactly what you want to do to her, and we'll get started first thing this weekend."

"Sounds great," he answered back, his eyes never leaving the Corvette next to him. As his father walked away, Seeley closed his eyes and tried to imagine what the car should look like. Images of him and his father working together on it filled his mind, and as he sat behind the wheel he thought that he was probably the luckiest kid in existence.

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**June 2010**

"You look good, Lee," his father's voice sounded behind him and he turned around. "Of course, the Booth men always look good in tuxes."

"Hey Dad," Seeley greeted the man with a handshake before running the hand through his hair.

"Nervous?" John asked, taking in his son's frazzled expression.

"No, no," Seeley returned quickly. "Happy, elated, excited…"

"And nervous?" John teased.

"Yeah," he laughed finally, "A little." John grasped his youngest son's shoulder proudly.

"No need to be," he encouraged, "She's a wonderful woman, Seeley. God, I can't believe how much you've grown. Look at you." John looked at his boy with love. "Yes sir, you and her will do fine."

"Well, I've had a good example," Seeley smiled back, "You and Mom…I love you both."

"And we love you son, always will. Now when you go out there, you just focus on her. Don't worry about anything else." The side door opened and a man poked his head through.

"You ready?" they both nodded. "Then let's go." Seeley stepped out and led his father across the room. John moved to his seat as Seeley reached his destination just in time, and as one the congregation turned as the music started to play.

Vanessa, Rebecca and Drew's three-year old daughter, glided slowly down the aisle spreading daffodils everywhere. Jack and Angela came through the doors next, then Zach and Cam. Parker was last, holding the pillow and looking as bored as an eight-year old could manage without getting in trouble. Then there she was and Seeley's breath caught in his throat. Watching her walk to him on Russ' arm, he finally took a breath and whispered to himself.

"I am the luckiest man alive."


End file.
